Form for filling and distending the vamp and toe portions of a shoe



March 2, 1954 A. ROMAN 2, 7 FORM FOR FILLING AND DISTENDIN HE VAMP AND TOE PORTIONS OF A SH Filed Feb. 9, 195 2 [WK/V170]? A NN! Rom A N W m /%%M M5 44. ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 2, 1954 FORM FOR FILLING AND DISTENDING THE VAMP AND TOE PORTIONS OF A SHOE Anne Roman, Minneapolis, Minn. 7 Application February 9, 1952, Serial No. 270,871

2 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe formsor trees for distending and stretching the toe and vamp portions of a shoe, slipper or pump when the same is not in use. f

It is an object of my invention to provide a shoe form or tree constructed of compressible and. highly resilient material for application to the vamp and toe portions of shoes varying considerably in size and having a shape and resilient qualities which enable it to be forced into shoes varying in size to produce outward pressure in accordance with the desire and requirements of the user.

A further object is the provision of a 'tapering, wedge-like, resilient shoe form or tree which may be used with so-called heelless shoe without requirement of a rear abutment against the counter or rear of a shoe.

A more specific object is the provision of a simple but efficient shoe form which is particularly adapted to be commercially constructed in simple manner and at relatively low cost and which is of attractive appearance harmonizing with the furnishing of a lady's dressing room or travel equipment.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying. drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of my invention applied to a popular type of ladys shoe which does not employ a rear or counter;

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating a blank of compressible, highly resilient material such as foam or sponge rubber cut to proper shape for fashioning my improved form or tree;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 showing the blank of Fig. 2 folded with the curved edges of the folded blank being aligned in proper form to constitute the body of my form;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a portion of the bottom of the form and the rear end thereof in completed condition with some portions broken away; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a fabric blank constituting the bottom or sole piece of the casing for my form.

I prefer to construct the body of my shoe tree or form from an integral pad of compressible, cellular, but highly resilient material such as foam rubber or sponge rubber. Other material such as artificial or synthetic sponge materials if possessed of sufficient resiliency, are suitable. The pad should be at least inch thick and it is preferable to utilize a thickness somewhat greater than that, say from 1 to 1 inches. From a pad of suitable-material. as previously specified,

a body blank is cut as shown in Figs. 2, along a major are which in the form shown, lies in the circumference of a circle circumscribed about the center C. The blank is provided with a substantially straight edge or side S which extends in the manner of a chord relatively to the curved edge E, said chord extending perpendicularly to a fold line F which bisects diametrically the major arc. The cellular and resilient body B in forming my improved tree is folded along the diametric line F and then assumes the shape, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 then placing substantial; tension for outward spreading upon the two seg-- mental folds. The curved edges E of the two; folds are brought into registration to form a. curved bottom for the body of the form and; the body in such folded condition is inserted into. a highly flexible casing or cover 5 which is con-- structed to snugly encase and fit the shape of the folded body. The this end, the casing 5' may have: an upper piece 5a. cut circularly in conformance: to the area of the blank B with an excess 01.

material left above the straight line S of the:

body and a bottom or sole piece 5b may be cut; as a relatively wide strip, as shown in Fig. 5, havinga rounded forward portion covering the toe and sole portion of the body when in wedgeshaped, folded form. The longitudinal edges of the under piece 5b are stitched together with the curved or arcuate edge of the upper piece 5a throughout the margin of the two pieces 5a and 5b and the excess material at the rear of the upper piece 5a is folded along corners (package wrapping style) to provide tabs 50 which are brought together at the rear of the body and secured and stitched to the updrawn part 5d of the lower casing piece 5b. Thus, the body is snugly encased in a highly flexible cover conforming to the wedge-shape and bottom curvature of the folded body and the body within such casing is somewhat compressed and the folds initially tensioned.

An ornamental bow 6 constructed from ribbon is secured by stitching to hide the stitching at the closing of the casing and also forms a handle for the device, to facilitate withdrawal from the vamp of a shoe.

It is quite important that the casing 5 be constructed from thin fabric or cloth which will not be slippery. Rayons and satins should not be used, but a material which has some degree of friction such as percale is preferred.

The completed article, as shown in Fig. 4 has the general form of a wedge provided with a rounded, upper contour and a longitudinally curved bottom or sole portion and tapering from the forward or toe portion T to a substantially flat rear end which as will be seen in Fig. 3, is of inverted U-shape cross section. The curved bottom or sole surface nicely conforms to the shape of the sole of a ladys shoe below the vamp and the toe portion of course will conform to and be compressed and tensioned the p tion of the shoe.

In use, the resilient form is forced wedge-like into the vamp and toe portion of the shoe; ade quate pressure being applied; to compress tension the material to th extent where it fills and distends the toe and vamp of theshee:

In this connection, the inherent construction ofv my resilient. beds? folded longdteidinallw to irri-- tially tension the me flaps tormedi isof material importance: This foldied construction at the body provides for outward and lateral spreading the body is further compressed hr torcing it into the: shoe. provides a tension nfi and pressure: medium of much greater efiiciency the use of. an: unroldeds previously untensione ck solid core oi sponge material r Folding of. the

body along. the central line F- bficaiise of; the

thickness: and naturevofi therceli-uiar, resilient teriaL. produces: a nicely rounded contour on the exterior of the fold; which defines; the shape of the upper portioirei: urrformt r The; cutting on the simple pat e n from a h avy sh et'or pad or roam-ru bers s on e ru her or. the like, inherently produces with the folding. ofthe upon a central line; the most advantageous. shape; of a; body for accomplishing thei-desiredzpurpeses. Thebody initially compressed; to some"- extent within the casing 5 tapers not only;-

vertical or: thielsness.- dimensions; from toe to: near but alsobecaus ct increasingly; greater height-1 more readily compressible; at? toe portion. than-at the thereon Thus, shoe, form; may; be; readily forced in the manner of) a compressible Wed e .intothervamp andatoe oil ashoe; causing the body to nicely, conform to the particularshape oi the interior oi-l theyshoerport ioni and distributing the resiliency. and expansive: force properly for stretching the: vamp andtoe. of the shoe, when the same is notinluse.

Tl'i'e structureilend's. itself well toeconomical;

commercial. manufacture. A number of strata of resilient pads may be simultaneously cutliiy die or other means with little waste td-fornl' the 4 bodies of my devices. The pattern and structure of the body also facilitates the pattern and cutting of the encircling casing.

The finished article is of pleasing appearance and lends itself well to the surroundings and furnishings of a ladys dressing room.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a comparatively inexpensive; highly efiici'ent shoe rents which may be applied to the vamp and toe portions or substantially all types of footwear and which do not require, as do most shoe trees, an abutting or anchorage with the heel or counter portion of a it is tfidliid: in proper relation by friction between the casing thereof and the inside of the methane toe of a shoe.

It will ofcourse be understood that various changes may be fiiade in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

w a a misa r H t 1: A- tom-n. for filling and distending the vamp and toe portions of a shoe comprising a body constructed from a pad of cellular, resilient fiex ible and compressible material, said body being defined at least at one end thereof by a substantially continuous, sharply durved line traversing and. extending symmetric ny to" the longitudinal center line thereof and 56m defined all? the opposite end by a line at least approxiinat mg perpene cmar relationship to said longitudinail center line, said Eddy being firearm doubled relation upon said lon itudinal center lineto then assume a, wedge-like shape and awesome is IQlin'ded cont r on the side or me ii rial exteriorly of the fold and a casing for said body ti htl enco pas n said may in? ts fo de te and retaining the same tue ein ndier slightcomonv 2?. The structure set forth in claim i wherein said bodiflis constructed from a substantially semi-circular; integralmans; said blank in the formatio or aid b dy being rbiq' rf along seentraifine substantially enacting. the curve there'- of, the rained, longitudinal ed e producing a rounded contour. l W v ANNHROMAN.

ltemrenceseitcii tl'ie ale-6t patent UNITED STATES aas sm 

